Over the Moon
by Martha and Squirrel
Summary: What happens when Remus meets another wearwolf that he'd like to share more than wolfsbane with? Angst follows!
1. Strangers In The Night

Chapter 1: Strangers in the night.

Disclaimer: Anything recognisable from the Harry Potter books is totally the property of the fabulous J. K. Rowling. We don't make anything from this, nor do we want to. We write purely for out own enjoyment.

Note: This story is set in the summer after Harry's 7th year. There are certain discrepancies within the story as I started writing it before publication of OoP. It is now an AU fic that follows the first four books. Thank you for reading.

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She had been able to smell it for a couple of months. Especially when the day was warm and the wind in the right direction. But now, as the moon was only hours away, it smelt different. The scent was tinged with fear, and something else, panic. April could feel the change starting to build in her. The wolf was beginning to surface. She would be fine when the transformation came, but there was no telling about the stranger; it hadn't panicked around the moon before this month.

She grabbed an old dress and cloak that she didn't mind getting ripped, put on some old shoes, and headed out of her house. She lived in a small village, right next to a wood, out of the way of the other residence, but nowhere so private that she lacked contact when she needed it.

Standing outside, April closed her eyes and let the scents of early evening fill her nostrils. There it was, stronger than ever now, but where was it coming from? She turned ninety degrees and sniffed again. Repeating this until she was sure of her direction, April headed off into the village.

It was too late; the change was coming. The stranger was more difficult to locate than she had expected. April knew that she had to get back to the wood, out of sight. She would have to try to find them in her other state, hopefully stopping anyone from getting hurt.

April collapsed as the transformation hit. The adapted Wolfsbane potion she made lessened the pain and gave her the ability to remain in control of the creature she would become.

A real scream filled the darkness, and it wasn't so far away. The stranger was turning too but, as she feared, had no such help. It was male as well, that much she was certain of.

Most months she let the wolf have control, let the instincts drive her, unless she strayed too far near a populated area. After all it was part of who she was and while she wouldn't endanger anyone else, she wouldn't deny it either. But tonight she had to keep another in check. Whenever a fellow wolf was met there was always the debate of just far she should let the wolf inside indulge its instincts. That wouldn't be an issue though if she didn't find him soon.

Remus awoke to birds singing. He shivered in the cool May morning breeze. He was stiff and uncomfortable, his muscles screaming when he tried to move. When he opened his eyes they complained about the dappled sunlight light coming through the trees above him. It became apparent that he was naked in the woods, bark and twigs sticking in him, the soles of his feet and the palms of his hands filthy and covered in tiny scratches. He also had a deep gash running over his left shoulder and row of scratches down his right leg.

His worst fears had come true. Remus had no clue what had happened the night before, none at all. He could remember the realisation as the sun set that the Wolfsbane hadn't worked, the panicked attempt to restrain himself obviously having failed.

It took a few minutes to realise that there were one too many hands on his chest. A third hand, elegant and pale but just as dirty and scratched lay next to his own on his bare chest, it's touch warm and delicate. He scrabbled round to find an equally naked woman curled in the foetal position next to him, sound asleep on the forest floor. Mortification mingled quickly with embarrassment.

She was quite lovely. Her skin was pale and looked soft, not nearly as scarred as his own, and her strawberry blond hair fell in delicate curls round her cheeks and settled on her shoulders. Most of her torso was discreetly hidden by her position, but he could see that she was slender and curved in all the right places.

April woke up alone as she usually did after the full moon, although she hadn't expected to do so this particular morning. She stood up, wincing as her muscles complained, brushing the bits of bark and other forest remnants off her body and gingerly inspecting a row of deep scratches down her lower back. She was quite accustomed to waking up dirty in the wood. The trees would provide cover until she got back home.

She was surprised by her own disappointment that the stranger had been gone when she woke. April wanted to know what had happened for any werewolf to be out of control like that. If he didn't believe in the Wolfsbane then he needed a good talking to and if something had gone wrong then he needed to make sure that it wouldn't again. There was the possibility that he might always be a muggle and had just realised what was happening to him, hence the sudden panic, and would never have heard of brewing potions. It was lucky she had been around to distract him. She should probably find him before next month's full moon; after all it was only polite to introduce yourself to someone who's seen you naked, she had no such advantage over him, only having seen the wolf, and she should at least know the name of the wolf that had been her nighttime partner.

April started back towards home, picking her path carefully so as to not hurt her feet anymore. When she got home she ran a tepid bath and set about getting cleaned up. It had become something of a ritual.

She sat on her bed, rubbing an antiseptic lotion into her cuts and bruises. April would follow this up with a good cooked breakfast. Usually she would stay in the house the day after her change, to give her feet and hands some time to recover from their night in the forest. But she might venture out today.

He was horrified, how had he not noticed that the potion was useless? Remus paced his small home; he had moved there a couple of months ago after the people around him at his last residence had discovered his nature. He was now washed and dressed but still hungry. Hopefully that meant he hadn't eaten in the night, there was no way for him to know just then.

A regular supplier had provided the Wolfsbane for him since it had first been discovered; except for that year he had been a teacher at Hogwarts. But a month ago, he had been informed that the price would be increasing dramatically, due to a shortage of the main ingredients. He had been forced to seek out a different, cheaper source. He now knew what made it so cheap. Inferior substitutes must be replacing the missing ingredients. He now faced the same battle all over again. He rubbed his tired face, yawning into his palms, the urge to spend the day in bed sweeping over him.

There was a soft knock on the door. He very rarely had visitors and they always made it known that they were coming.

April waited outside; sure that she had followed the scent from her waking spot in the trees. When he opened the door she was certain. The smell of wolf flooded over her, and it was familiar and masculine. She had to consciously stop herself from gasping; the night's full and uninhibited transformation had left him with the most feral scent that her heightened wolf-senses picked up on immediately. He looked exhausted and his robes were shabby. His hair was flecked with grey, which gave him a 'salt and pepper' sort of look, but he wasn't old by any stretch. Despite how awfully tired and ill he looked, she was surprised; it had never occurred to her that he might be this pleasing to the eye.

He had half thought he imagined her, but when she was stood on his doorstep he couldn't deny that she was real. She was wearing a light dress that he would have thought more at home in the very height of summer and a moss green cloak over the top that was fastened with a tiny silver clip at her neck. Her legs were bare but she didn't look cold and the cut of her dress, coupled with her diminutive height, suggested that she had fine breasts. He was all too aware that the last time he had seen her she'd been naked. Her eyes were pale yellow, reflecting the wolf within, and they were searching his face. Her smell was different too; Remus would have guessed what she was even if he hadn't already known.

He said the first thing that came into his head: "Who are you?"

She smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you too." Her voice was as soft as her complexion and had a charming note of humour to it. "…I wanted to know if you're alright." Genuine concern crossed her face.

"I'm alright now…" he trailed off, sounding apologetic.

April noticed how self-conscious he looked, he clearly wasn't used to meeting his own kind. "You don't remember anything do you…? Of last night I mean."

He cleared his throat; "No, I don't." He admitted

"You didn't hurt anyone. I made sure." Relief fluttered over his features, the tension in his shoulders visibly reducing, as he seemed to sag in front of her. "I'd been able to smell your panic even before the transformation, I looked for you, once you changed you must have sought me too, you were remarkably easy to locate." April stopped, wondering if he would only want to know that he didn't hurt anyone, or if he wanted every detail. "…Why were you so out of control? What happened?"

Remus was slightly taken aback; he had never met someone so open, or anyone who seemed so accepting. He supposed she would understand; she had probably faced the same prejudices he had. Remembering his manners, he stepped away from the door. "You'd better come in."

She stepped inside. His home was small and cosy, the door led straight into one room, a sitting room on the left and an open-plan kitchen on the right.

He watched her take everything in, her nostrils dilating a little and he felt under scrutiny. "You live alone?" it was a question, but he was sure that she was just establishing what she already knew.

"Yes." He confirmed. Taking her lead, he tentatively searched her scent for anything, but none of it he wanted to talk about, she had used an antiseptic, eaten a full English breakfast and her scent was her own, therefore she too was also likely to live alone. "Would you like a cup of tea, I was thinking about making one?" He hadn't been, but it seemed the polite thing to say.

"Yes please." April watched his back as he walked into the kitchen, itching to shower him with questions, but all too aware of his discomfort.

"Sit down." He called after her and she followed him, sitting at one of the chairs round the small wooden kitchen-table, inspecting her hands while she waited for her tea or for him to say something else.

"I only have tea bags, I'm afraid."

"That's quite alright," She couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't use tea bags, unless they believed in divination of course. There were a few moments of uneasy silence before he put their cups on the table. April was relieved that he wasn't one of those people who made dreadfully weak tea.

"Thank you." He said, seeming much more comfortable. "…For last night I mean. I had changed my supplier of Wolfsbane and hadn't realised that it was useless, I'm a hopeless potions brewer myself." He sipped at his tea and yawned into his hand, she watched him, somewhat transfixed. April found it hard to believe that this genteel man had been the beast she'd spent the night with. "I tried to restrain myself but that obviously didn't work." He set his cup down resolutely, his gaze lifting onto her.

"I'd hope that someone would do the same for me." She had a lovely smile.

"When I use the Wolfsbane potion I'm fit for nothing but sleeping, how come you managed to keep me under control?"

She tucked her hair behind one neat little ear. "I brew my own potions; one month I made a mistake with the procedure and I discovered that I had inadvertently adapted the formula so that I could exist in some form of harmony with the wolf side me. I can let the wolf have almost total control, but still be able to step in if I stray too close to a populated area. I can also have full control if I wish, but I don't like to deny what I am too much."

He seemed to take all this in and April finished her tea, waiting for him to speak.

"What's your name?" He asked mildly, only just realising that he didn't know.

"April…" She smiled again and he couldn't help returning it. "Born in the month of." Her smile weakened and she added: "Bitten in the month of, too." She looked down at the tabletop and then seemed to regain herself. "I don't know your name either…" Her eyes were alert and interested, he really felt like she wanted to know.

"Remus."

She lent back in her chair, being careful of her back, a light of amusement in her eyes. "You don't happen to have a twin do you?"

"No; luckily I don't." He was surprised, and let it show in his voice, not many people caught on to the significance of his name right away.

"How long have you lived here, a couple of months?"

Again he got the impression that she was just confirming things she already knew. "That's right. I thought there might be another wolf nearby but I was never certain." It was his turn to search her face.

"Neither was I, not until last night anyway." She stifled a yawn and he realised that he hadn't noticed how tired she looked.

"I'm sorry, don't let me keep you, you probably want to get some sleep." He picked up their empty teacups and put them next to the sink. "Thank you again for your help."

"Like I said, I hope someone would do the same for me." She stood up, her chair scraping across the floor.

He walked her to the door, holding it open for her. "It was lovely meeting you."

She put her hand on his upper arm; "And you." Her touch felt so familiar that it shocked him. He looked down at her little hand on his robe and then back at her face, she was awfully close.

April couldn't help being transfixed by his eyes as they raked over her; their bodies seemed to inch closer and closer together. She was filled with the most delicious sense of anticipation. Was it her that wanted to do this though, or was the wolf still too close to the surface? She cleared her throat and looked away from him. "I should probably let you get some rest." She said, taking her hand off his arm and treading out of the door onto the steps.

"Yeah." His voice sounded flat. The moment she took her hand away it felt as though he'd lost something. Remus gave himself a good mental shaking, what was he thinking?

"Remus…" She turned back to him. He looked up expectantly. "Don't worry about the Wolfsbane, I can brew enough for two. I grow all the plants I need and the other stuff's easy to get. Just come and see me."

"Where do you live?" He felt a wash of relief that this wouldn't be the last time he saw her.

"Mine's the house that's sort of half in the wood, at the end of the Village… Do you know the one?" She was annoyed at herself for standing there and ringing her hands.

"Yes, I know the one."

"I'll see you soon then." She smiled again, her face so warm and friendly. He stood at the door and watched her all the way up the road until she walked out of sight.

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A/N:

Romulus and Remus were twin Brothers in Roman Mythology, the sons of Mars and Rhea Silvia. The twins were thrown into the Tiber by their great uncle Amulius, but were suckled by a she-wolf and rescued by a shepherd. On reaching Adulthood they killed Amulius and founded Rome.

Romulus killed Remus and reigned alone until he disappeared in a storm.

(Information found in the Hutchinson Encyclopaedia.)

Any comments on this would be welcome, I'm (Martha) not sure where this is going, but it seems fun at the moment.

I'm hoping it will fit in with our other stories ('Wrongs Darker than Death or Night', 'Before they were famous' and another one about Sirius and Heather that's in the pipeline!) You don't need to read those though!


	2. Recovery

Chapter 2: Recovery 

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it.

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How long should he wait before he went to see her? It would be four weeks until the next full moon so he would need to start taking Wolfsbane after three… Was it polite to wait until he needed it before he went to visit? 

Remus would go and see April in two weeks, if he hadn't already seen her around the village. He decided to watch out for her.

Remus yawned, rubbing his eyes and running his fingers through his hair. It wouldn't matter what he decided to do; if he didn't get rest soon, he'd be dead on his feet. He dragged himself off the doorstep and went through to his bedroom.

He lay breathless, ensnarled in damp sheets, and thoroughly disturbed with himself. Remus had had feral dreams surrounding his transformation in his youth, before the Wolfsbane, but never anything like that. 

No conscience, no control, just instinct. No human traits, just life, pure and simple, coursing through his veins. Knowing only what was most primitive and atavistic: hunger, self-preservation, and today… lust. A single minded drive, frightening in its intensity.

Remus shivered, suddenly feeling the cold the evening brought. He appeared to have slept all day. His stomach protested insistently against its lack of food, squirming and aching with hunger. Untangling himself from his bed sheets, he got up.

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Remus decided to have a proper look at where April lived (just to make sure that he definitely knew where it was, of course). He wandered slowly down the pavement, still aching from the transformation, kicking at weeds that grew out of the cracks in the asphalt. 

As he drew closer to the house he was sure was hers, the most horrific squealing broke the tranquillity. He took a few more steps, getting ever closer to the path that led to April's front door. He was just wondering if he should look for the source of the cacophony when a piglet ran hell for leather out of the woods, squeaking raucously, followed closely by April. Once they were on her lawn, she dived on it, efficiently catching it. She looked up. "Oh, hello," she smiled, getting up, the pig wriggling vigorously in her arms. 

"What are you doing?" Remus stared at her, unable to comprehend this bizarre situation. From somewhere he managed to marvel at the energy she had only the second day after the full moon.  

"Looking for truffles," she answered as though it was the most normal thing in the world. 

"Right." Remus blinked. 

"Do you mind giving me a hand?" she asked, holding out the fat, little, squirming piglet to him.

Remus awkwardly took it and it squealed loudly, making him flinch. "Of course not," he added, rather belatedly, following April across her lawn and behind the house as she brushed her muddy hands off on the front of her, already grubby, dress. 

"I'm sorry, Merrill is a little grumpy today."

"Merrill?" Remus managed as he fought to keep hold of the little pink creature she had given him; it's little hooves made contact with several tender, bruised spots of flesh, making him wince.

April shrugged and grinned in explanation and led Remus to the end of the garden where there was an extensive pigsty

"So… What brings you down here?" she asked, stepping right up close. 

"Just taking a walk." Remus said, endeavouring to be casual as his muscles complained at having to hold onto the pig, and he took in her new closeness.

Reaching up, April took Merrill from his arms, "Well, me and Miss Piggy here have fulfilled our excitement quota for today. Would you like to join me for a cup of tea?" She bent over the side of the sty, depositing the irritable animal so that she could run noisily back to her peers. 

"Yeah, sure." Remus brushed off his hands, trying to ignore how revealing her attire coupled with her stance was.

April straightened up, looking affectionately back at the pigs, and walked ahead of him, leading up some steps and in through the back door. "The living room's just through there," she gestured. "I won't be a minute; I'm just gonna get out of these dirty clothes." 

April disappeared and Remus heard the pound of feet climbing stairs. Some juvenile part of him wanted to sneak up stairs behind her and watch, but he shook himself out of it and went through to her sitting room, choosing a spot on her sofa. Remus sank a little further into the cushions than he had expected and found his sore limbs floundering. He corrected himself, glad that April hadn't been there to witness his graceless little display.  

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"It was so hard finding work that I decided to go into business for myself." April tucked her legs up under herself, smiling at the man sat on her sofa. 

"What made you choose Potions?" Remus couldn't imagine it himself. 

"I'd been really good at them at Hogwarts. Well, until my seventh year when our Potions teacher retired. His replacement took something of a dislike to me; I think I deserved a better NEWTs result. So, before I could be taken seriously in business, I had to do a year's intensive course with the Guild of Potion's Masters and get a qualification."

That sounded a little too familiar to Remus. "This Potions professor wouldn't happen to be Severus Snape?" He arched an eyebrow knowingly at her.

"How did you know?" She cocked her head to one side giving him a curious look. 

Remus suddenly felt very old. He might not have known how long Snape had been teaching at Hogwarts but it meant that he himself was old enough to have taught her. She must be, at the very least, ten years his junior. "I taught there for a year a while ago and that description sounded a little too familiar." Remus found himself leaving out the fact that they had been in the same year at school. 

"You taught at Hogwarts?" Her eyes brightened. "What an honour… What did you teach…?" When Remus went to reply, she put her hand up to stop him. "Let me guess." She sat back and closed her eyes. 

"Alright," Remus agreed uneasily, mildly intrigued to know what she saw him teaching. Despite the fact that she wasn't looking at him, he felt under scrutiny nonetheless. Remus shifted in his seat, trying not to notice how at ease and open she looked, curled up in her chair in just a pale summery dress, feet and legs captivatingly bare.

April smiled and opened her eyes; Remus looked away, concentrating on his half drank cup of tea. "Well, I'm guessing from earlier that you didn't teach 'Care of Magical Creatures'." She sipped her drink. "And we've already established that Potions aren't your thing." 

Remus nodded, "I'm not that bad with magicalcreatures," he assured her, "you just took me somewhat by surprise."

April laughed and continued. "You said you only taught for a year… so not 'Herbology' – that's too much of a commitment…" She paused for a long moment and stared at him openly.

Remus again felt self-conscious under her observation, all of a sudden very aware of his shabby clothes and how he was trying to manufacture his facial expression to be casual and composed.

"And you still dress like a wizard despite living around muggles… so not 'Muggle Studies'… and you are hardly a master of disguise, so I'd wager Transfiguration isn't your speciality." 

She smiled knowingly making Remus wonder if he should worry about being predictable if she got it right first guess.

April drained the last of her tea and peered into the cup. Reminded of something, she said, "You use tea bags, so not Divination. Although I wouldn't have thought so anyway." She laughed a little at the thought. "Now, what does that leaves me with…? DADA, Arithmancy and …Ancient Runes …" She answered her own question. "Am I warm?" 

"Very." Remus said with more conviction than he had intended.

He felt more than a little embarrassed when April's eyebrows danced a little, her face lighting up. 

"Not bad with magical creatures…?" she pondered. "Now, an Arithmancy or Ancient Runes Professor wouldn't get their head out of a chart long enough to realise that there are animals, so I vote DADA." She looked expectantly at him, a smile already teasing at her mouth, clearly certain that she was right. 

Remus smiled slightly and nodded, letting her know that she was correct in her supposition.

"Excellent. At least my detective skills have improved. With only Merrill and the other animals to practise on, I haven't really had much exercise in that area," she grinned. "So, are there any other secrets that I can unearth?"

"I think we should save some for next time," Remus said with a smile. "I haven't got that many, so it's best to spread them out."

"I'm sure you have lots of secrets!" April argued.

Meeting with a wall of silence, April looked up, and, noticing that Remus looked a little grey, leant forward to touch his arm. He flinched when she grazed a new bruise. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"What?" He seemed to surface from his reverie, "Oh, yes, I'm fine." he said as if on autopilot, backing up his words with an unconvincing smile. 

"Still recovering from the transformation?" Her voice took on a new soothing air.

"Yes," Remus admitted. 

"Hang on a second," she said, sympathetically rubbing his shoulder. April stood and left the room. 

She was gone for some time and Remus started to wonder what she was doing when she came back in holding a steaming goblet with a large pair of fluffy oven gloves. 

"Leave it a minute as it's hot, and when you do drink it make it slow because it's a powerful stimulant." April set it down on the coffee table and took off the gloves before vanishing again. She was back in a moment with a tray of food. "What am I bet that you haven't eaten since breakfast?" She knelt down and set the tray on the table as well. 

Remus looked momentarily embarrassed. 

"It's not a good idea to drink that on an empty stomach, that's all." she added hastily, setting two bowls on the table and filling each with what looked and smelt wonderfully like a cross between beef casserole and a hot-pot out of a green cooking pot with a large ladle. Then selected them both cutlery and a big square napkin.

The relish on Remus face was very rewarding when April handed it over.  She was less pleased when Remus expression went to something uncomfortable almost immediately. "Are you alright?"

"I just try to avoid meat a few days after the moon." 

"Oh, it is rather… stimulating, isn't it?" She looked a bit sheepish. 

Remus started to tuck in.

"Are you sure you don't want something else?" 

"No. This is wonderful. Really." Remus hadn't realised how hungry he was. 

After eating the meal and drinking the potion, Remus felt as relaxed as if he'd just drank a bottle of fire whiskey and as energised as if he'd just swallowed a year's crop from a coffee plantation, it was the oddest sensation. April sat next to him, talking about something that Remus was sure he'd been really interested in when she started, but now all he could think about was her mouth. 

Remus squared his shoulders and listened, he really concentrated, and it was interesting. Things proceeded in that pattern for most of the evening, until April started to yawn and sent him home. 

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Remus returned home, surprised to find that he had spent most of the evening with April. There was a little wide-eyed owl in his porch with a note attached to its spindly leg. Remus bent down to undo it, patting the owl kindly. It fluttered about and then took off. "Not staying for a snack then?" Remus called after it, but the owl was already gone. 

_Moony,_

_I hope my owl can find your new place. It's not very reliable; I'll have to look into getting another. _

_Anyway, hope you've settled in all right. Sorry it's taken me so long to write to you but I've been in Paris with the lovely Chastity Murdoch! Do you remember her? She was a few years younger than us at school. I ran into her (literally!) in Diagon Alley a few weeks ago. _

_Anyway, I will be visiting you and your new abode soon so keep the kettle exercised!_

_Padfoot. _

Remus was sure that Sirius only stopped off at his house around once a month to check in with the teapot and then was off to visit some long lost friend, charming some helpless young woman, or searching for his long-lost motorbike. 

No doubt Chastity Murdoch would be long forgotten by the time he made his way here, along with countless others. 

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A/N: Sorry for the huge wait for this chapter but I now know where the story is going… thank god! How it's going to get there though is a bit of a mystery though! 

Thanks to **Krusty,** **Jestr017 and Hopeful Writer **for your comments. 

Martha ad Squirrel. x.x.x


	3. Revelations

Chapter 3: Revelations

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it. 

A/N:

Sorry for the HUGE delay in updating! 

Thanks for all the comments! Especially to **Starlight, Annorial, Prankster Queen, Pawzzz, IluvSiriusBlack, Becki, Wendy, Tegan, Jestr017, Hopeful Writer **and** Drachenaugen, **we love you guys!

In reply to **Anne. Onnymouse**, I know that April seems a little 2D at the moment; I promise she does have some issues though, but I figured they wouldn't all come spilling out after meeting Remus only a couple of times. 

I'm trying to keep this fic a little happier and brighter than 'Wrongs' that I've been writing a lot lately as that's rather depressing, so I needed something different. If that makes April seem a little flat then I'm sorry, hopefully she will flesh out as time goes by. Hope you think it gets better, look forward to hearing from you. 

Martha and Squirrel.xxx

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Remus re-read his letter from Sirius. It explained the rather skittish owl. 

Surely inviting her for dinner would be harmless enough? Remus considered April, the letter from his best friend forgotten the moment he put it down on the table.  

Oh well, first things first, it was late in the evening so perhaps getting ready for bed was more the order of the moment. Remus took himself into the bathroom.

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The next day, dressed in his least battered robe, Remus left the house feeling light-headed and vulnerable. He had to stop half way down the road: he felt quite nauseous. _'What's wrong with me?'_ he thought. It wasn't as though he was interested in her; she was young enough to have been his student. 

With that thought in mind, he carried on down the road with more determination than before

He stopped when he reached the corner of her garden and able to see round the back of the house; he could see her sat on the ground. Remus began to make his way over. As he drew closer, he realised that she was sat on the edge of a pond with her feet in the water. When he was just a few feet away, he realised that she wasn't aware he was there; she seemed lost in thought. He cleared his throat a little louder than was necessary. "Excuse me."

"Remus!" She jumped when he made himself known and turned round to face him, a little flustered. 

All of his impassioned thoughts from the night before returned in full force as he eyed her and there was a moment of pause until he spoke again. "I've been meaning to ask you… I mean, I was wondering whether I could make you dinner one night." April's eyes brightened and then faded slightly as he added, "just a little something to say thank you for everything."

"You don't have to do that. I did nothing, really."

Sensing her sudden coldness, Remus winced inwardly. "I would _like_ you to come for dinner," he began. "I'm not a great cook but…" He paused as she drew her feet out of the pond and shook off the drips of water. His eyes widened. "Uhh…"

April smiled. "I would like that, if it's not putting you to too much trouble." She pushed herself back onto the grass and her wet feet made prints on the stones that edged the rim of the pond.

"Uhh… No." Remus found his head at last. "No, it wouldn't be."

"Ok." Met with silence, April smiled rather cautiously. "And when would this dinner be?" she prompted.

Remus looked at her oddly before computing her words. "Oh! Tonight, if that's not too soon."

"Ok, then." She stood up then and looked down at her wet feet, appearing a little embarrassed.

"You've got yourself a proper little paradise here," Remus mused, almost to himself. 

When she looked up she was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yes," she murmured distractedly and then, regaining herself, she added, "Would you like to come back to the cottage for a cup of tea or something?" 

Remus shook his head. "I'd better not. I have some things to do before tonight. If you would come around about seven-ish…?" He smiled, before backtracking through the garden with a wave, wondering what on earth had he had just gotten himself into.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

April dug frantically in her wardrobe, suddenly in a panic at what to wear that evening. All she seemed to own were sundresses! Oh, well, she supposed she could get away with combining the unavoidable garment with a cardigan to ward off the cold.

She paused from flinging clothes on the bed and laughed. Why on earth was she making so much effort for a casual dinner? It wasn't as if it was a date or anything! In fact, he had said so himself that it was a repayment for the food that she had quickly prepared for him yesterday. In truth, she had felt concerned for him; he had looked particularly peaky, most likely due to his recent change. She hadn't expected repayment.

Sighing, she changed into a cream sundress decorated with tiny green leaves and shrugged into a matching cardigan. _Besides, why make effort when he's already seen you naked?_ Offered a voice in her head. Her mother would probably have a fit if she knew that the first time she had met Remus, they had ended up… 

Well, her mother would probably have a fit if she knew a lot of things!

April frowned as she pulled a brush through her hair; thinking of her family had definitely put a damper on her thoughts. She slipped on her shoes and, with a glance at her watch, left the house.

Answering the door to April would quickly become one of Remus' favourite things to do. 

On this particular occasion she was stood on the step with her back to the door and spun around to smile warmly at him when she heard him come to answer it. 

Remus invited her in. 

There was an awkward pause and April took in Remus, as he looked her over. This couldn't be the best plan; spending time with another werewolf around the full moon was disastrous, it brought out all ones baser instincts and from the look on his face Remus' instincts were playing havoc with him, his sense of decency provoking him to invite her to dinner despite knowing it would be uncomfortable. 

Remus cleared his throat. "Dinner is going to be a little while longer, so I thought we could sit and chat for a little bit." 

He sat down on the window seat and patted the space next to him, regretting his decision when he realised how small the seat was; they were practically thigh-to-thigh. She turned her head to smile almost nervously at him and he caught a whiff of the aroma of her hair, which made him take a deep breath.

"That's alright," April said quietly, looking around the room to avoid eye contact. All of a sudden, she felt nervous and a little uncomfortable under his intent gaze. Slightly irritated, she turned and deliberately looked straight into his eyes. "So, what's for dinner?"

Remus swallowed and averted his eyes. "Shepherd's pie. I hope you like it."

"Don't worry, I will." April almost grinned when she realised that she must be scaring him slightly with her brazen hussy routine. 

Remus suddenly found something very interesting outside the window.

Seeing his pupils dilate slightly, despite his quick head turn, April leant forward and whispered, "So, did you invite me here only out of gratitude, or was there some other reason?" She groaned inwardly at this question, what was she doing?

"Um… I don't think that gratitude was the reason." He shifted uncomfortably and evaded the question.

April couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. _You must look like a lunatic! _Said her inner voice of reason.

Suddenly, Remus jumped up from the seat. "I think dinner is ready. Would you like to sit down at the table? I'll just bring the plates through."

April went and sat at the small table, which had been moved closer to the bay window so they could see the road and the view beyond.

Remus set a large bowl on the table and served a generous portion of the shepherd's pie onto each of their plates before sitting opposite her.

"This smells lovely, Remus." April sniffed at the plate and grinned appreciatively before taking a large bite.

"Careful, it's hot," Remus warned, blowing onto a forkful before eating it carefully.

They sat in an awkward silence for a moment, not really knowing what to say, but the nervous tension was broken when April let out a slight huff of laughter. Remus turned his gaze to where she was looking and saw an old man slowly picking himself up from where he had fallen down onto the pavement, his walking stick tottering under his unsteady arm.

He looked back at April is surprise and her smirk turned into a fully-fledged grin.

"I would feel guilty about laughing at him, but he was knocking the apples off of my tree with his walking stick last Tuesday. Who would want those little things, anyway? I mean, they're the size of marbles, utterly useless and…" she paused, seeing his eyes narrow with amusement. She shrugged uncomfortably. "Anyway…"

Remus took another bite of his pie and continued to smile at her with his eyes, while April felt rather foolish.

Seeing her discomfort, Remus finished his mouthful and said, "To be honest, I think I've seen that man hanging around my rhubarb plants…"

April laughed appreciatively; at least he didn't think she was too strange. 

The quiet eating that followed was much more comfortable and natural. 

For desert, Remus had made a steamed treacle sponge. His grandmother had taught him to make it and it remained one of very few he could turn out with success. 

April seemed to enjoy it and helped herself to more than one helping of custard; Remus found this encouraging. 

When they finished and Remus had promised to give her the recipe, he asked, "Do you want to sit in the living room and I'll make some coffee?" 

"That'd be nice." April managed to say before she yawned, feeling content and drowsy after their meal. 

She got up and walked through the kitchen door into his small, cosy living room. It wasn't long before Remus brought through two big cups, set them down on the coffee table and plopped down on the sofa next to her.

Looking across at him, April could have just cuddled up to him, nestled into the curve of his body and laid her head on his chest. _Oh, stop it! s_colded a voice in her head. She hated this feeling, she didn't know if she did want to cuddle up to him of if the wolf inside her was just having an instinctive response. _Do wolves cuddle?_ she wondered. _Stop it! That's not what's important. No, those lovely long legs, now those are import – Stop it! You'll be thinking about touching him next…! And there we are, you're thinking about touching him! _April shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not wanting to be caught staring, and uncrossed her legs and crossed them the other way for something to do. 

"Can I use you're bathroom?" she blurted, searching for a brief way out of this situation. 

"Certainly." Remus sat up looking as guilty as though he'd been caught stealing with his hand in the cookie jar. "It's just through there, to the right." He pointed through the door at the back of the room. 

"Thanks." April stood, smoothing down her clothes and feeling under-dressed, even in the warm evening. She sighed upon shutting the bathroom door and covered her face with her hands, exhaling loudly.

Remus sipped his coffee, wondering what had just happened. He got the impression it wasn't just needing the toilet that was making her uncomfortable. Was he scaring her? Was he staring a lot or drooling or something…?

No definitely not drooling, although he was a little concerned that he'd needed to check. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, thinking abstractly it was lucky he'd remembered to clean the bathroom that morning. 

Remus had finished his coffee when she came back and felt more than a little like a pervert. He endeavoured not to pay her body quite so much attention and tried to start a conversation about books while staring at the empty fireplace. It didn't get very far off the ground. 

"This is a bit uncomfortable, isn't it?" she said finally, it had to be best for them to just admit that the wolf instincts were proving a little hard to ignore and that neither of them were meaning to be acting strange. 

"I don't know what you're getting at."

"Being so close, so near to the full moon, I know it's affecting you too."

"What do you mean?" Remus looked somewhat horrified. 

April couldn't believe his naivety. "What do you think I mean…?" She watched his still blank face disbelievingly. "You've never seen another werewolf at full moon, have you?" 

"I have once, but I don't remember it. I do remember the irrational desire to beat the man to death in the few days leading up to and following the full moon."  

He watched as she looked more and more embarrassed. "Well, that's probably natural for males." Her voice was barely above a whisper. She looked determinedly up from her lap and said, "I should probably be getting home; I've a lot to do tomorrow. Thank you, I've had a lovely evening." Standing up, April crossed to the door and unhitched her cloak. 

"I'm sorry," Remus offered. 

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you wouldn't know. I didn't mean to be insensitive." 

With that, April let herself out and said she would see him soon. 

Remus stood back from the door feeling a little shell-shocked. If wanting to rip each other apart were normal when around a male wolf, what would being so near a female do to him? It certainly explained the fact that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her… or leave himself alone for that matter. Sickened by the thought that he was so susceptible to the instincts of what was within him when the moon was near full, Remus turned round and went in the kitchen, busying himself with tidying away the fallout from their meal. 

After the rather fraught and embarrassing evening of raging hormones and confusion, April sat herself at her dinner table and sighed deeply. She needed to work, and work a lot, if she was going to close the deals she needed for the next year. 

After sipping a whisky thoughtfully until she was looking through the bottom of the glass at nothing in particular, she stood and took herself to bed; she'd have to make an early start. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

April pushed her hair out of her face. She would have to leave the meal cooking and go to get dressed in a minute or she wouldn't be ready in time. 

She went upstairs and jumped in the bath, quickly washing her hair and drying it with a spell, then dressing in her smartest black robes, despite the fact that they made her feel dreadfully uncomfortable. Buttoning up the tight black bodice part of the ensemble, she had to hold her breath and force the fabric around despite her slender figure, finally exhaling and hoping she wouldn't have to stay in the garment for too long.

Hurrying back downstairs, she checked, with relief, that the meal hadn't ruined without supervision and put the finishing touches to the table. 

The doorbell sounded. He was early. April's stomach lurched and she hesitated for a moment before rushing to the door. 

Needham Booth was a pompous old git that she had been trying to do business with since she started out. He stood on her doorstep looking out over her front garden and twiddling his over-long moustache. 

"Ah, there you are, dear," he said, putting his thumbs in the stretched waistband of his trousers and adjusted them shamelessly around his overlarge girth. 

"Yes," April muttered. "Won't you come in?" she said more audibly and politely, stepping away from the door and beckoning him inside. 

"Ah, I see you were serious about dinner." He eyed the table and patted his stomach. "Good, Good. Never do business on an empty stomach, that's what I always say." He picked up one of the knives and eyed it critically. "Good cook are you?" 

How to respond to that? Modesty or arrogance? April hesitated a moment too long. 

"Don't be shy now. I know this is a big venture for you, and being a woman…" His eyes travelled over her small figure and he adjusted his trousers once more. "Still, no real need to sell yourself short."

He still seemed to be making her feel as inept as possible. Potions were one of the wizarding world's predominantly male domains and April often felt as though she was merely tolerated. She decided to move business along quickly; hopefully his apparent enthusiasm for food would mean they could be done with dinner in short order. "Would you like a drink?" she asked to start with.

"Appreciated." Booth nodded once. 

"I'll get my proposed quote for you to look over," April said, going through to the kitchen and pouring him a glass of the appropriate wine to compliment the meal, as he had not specified a preference, and picking up the proposed price list she had spent weeks pricing and preparing. She just hoped that he didn't throw it back in her face; this was the biggest business venture she had ever attempted to make. Needham Booth was a buyer for one of the wizarding world's largest pharmaceutical potion's suppliers – something of a household name.  

She shuddered at the thought of it ever getting out that she was a werewolf: she'd be ruined, and she could certainly kiss this deal goodbye. 

Booth smiled patronisingly at her as she returned to where he was standing and passed over his glass of wine. It appeared that he had decided to take the chance while she was out of the room to have a look over her things and was unashamedly flipping through the pages of one of her well-worn books.

April's eyes bugged as she realised which one and tried to calm herself down. Just because she owned a copy of 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart' didn't mean she was a werewolf. Well, in this case it did, but he didn't know that!

Just in case he had enough brains to put two and two together (which, by the look of him, he didn't), she tried to distract him.

"Um… How's your wine, Mr Booth?" She took a nervous sip out of her own glass.

Booth frowned and put the book back into its niche on the shelf. "Well, I would put it in a class of its own. I hope you didn't make it yourself, or there's no point in us talking now!" He let out a booming laugh that raised April's hackles, especially since the wine was made as a hobby by her uncle.

Forcing a laugh, because she really needed this deal, April ushered him to the dining table.

When she had shown him to his seat, she placed the quote down beside him.

"Now, down to business, here is a pricing list of the items I hope to supply to you during our business transactions."

Booth picked up the parchment and eyed it condescendingly, while April served out the meal. They sat in silence while they ate, and April's stomach dropped when Booth's pompous smile turned into a frown.

Finally, he put it down, coughed, and adjusted his trousers. April watched all this with a mixture of hope and distaste.

"That was a fine meal, dear." He levered himself off of his chair and started for the door. April followed in confusion.

"Oh, Mr Booth? About the contract…"

Booth coughed again and looked her up and down. "I'll send the company's solicitor down to see you sometime this week. Looks like we have a deal." He took her hand in his large clammy one and gave it a hard shake.

April beamed. "Thank you, sir. You won't regret it."

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

The moon was waxing again and his instinct problems seeming to be wearing off to some degree, Remus found he couldn't leave things how they had been left with April, he pushed his hands firmly in his pockets as he walked down the country road away from April's cottage, not really knowing what he would say when he got there, but going anyway.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Hearing the doorbell ring, April rushed down the stairs, now more comfortably attired in slacks and a t-shirt, and opened the door.

"I'm so glad you could come!" April grinned and was enveloped in a big hug.

"How could I not come and see my favourite niece? Especially when she obviously has something to celebrate! So, what is it, sweet pea?" He put a finger under her chin and looked down at her from his towering height.

"I got the contract! I got the contract with Edgerton and Booth!" April gave an excited whoop.

 Her Uncle Sean picked her up and swung her around in the air, before giving her a large smacking kiss. "That's great! I didn't expect any less from my talented April. And guess what?" He pulled out a green bottle from one of his large pockets. "I've got a little something to help us celebrate."

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

"Well, that's that," he muttered under his breath. "You barely know her, you big oaf."

He kicked a pebble viciously out of his path and said some savage curses, which would make his mother blush. They would definitely make Sirius' eyebrows reach for the sky.

"Well, at least she likes older men," he shrugged, perversely looking on the bright side. "The man she was with looked twice her age."

Remus frowned darkly. He had never seen April smile the way she had when the man had swept her up in his arms. And seeing the wildly affectionate kiss he had given her had definitely put the stopper on his hopes for their relationship to deepen. Not that such a thing had ever crossed his mind, she was a lot younger than him and he wasn't some old pervert. 

He swore again. How had it come to this? He had only known her a couple of days and he was already thinking of relationships? He didn't even know her last name, for Merlin's sake.


	4. Black Sheep

.Chapter 4: Black sheep

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it. 

~~~888~~~

The only member of her family April remained in contact with was her Uncle Sean. He was something of a Black sheep as well. The family hadn't approved of his marriage to a muggle and so he remained on only the stiffest, most awkward of speaking terms.  

April got to know how her parents were doing, and where they were through him and they were in turn told of her health. This wasn't a problem as far as April was concerned; she had never been close to her parents, always having felt like something of an unfortunate mistake. They had provided for her until her eighteenth birthday dawned and then it was like the door had been closed forever, she had known it would be like that and was prepared to some degree. Although sometimes she wondered if a little more support might have prevented certain things. 

No. A little more support would definitely have prevented certain things. 

April and her Uncle Sean sat on the sofa together, slightly inebriated and delving into nostalgia. She loved these visits and hadn't been able to resist the opportunity to invite him over when she had her good news. 

Part of her wished she knew where Remus and herself stood. She felt awkward after the revelations of a few nights ago and wasn't quite sure how to approach him again. It would have been nice to have someone friendly around all the time. 

~~~888~~~

Later in the week while April was in her lab, a knock on the door surprised her into dropping the ladle she was using into her cauldron with a splash. 

Wiping her arms where they were dripping, she walked to the door and opened it. Standing in front of her were two very odd-looking men.

"Excuse me, Miss. Are you April Early?" The man closest to her asked, as he peered over his tinted blue spectacles. He was very tall and spindly, and looked as if one puff of wind would knock him over. Like a Daddy Long-Legs, she supposed. His partner, who looked much shiftier than the other, was nervously looking down the road to the cottage and adjusting his trench coat around his stout form.

"Umm… yes. Can I help you?"

"We're here to buy some…" he lowered his voice considerably and leaned in close, "…potions. We're from Egerton and Boothe, you should be expecting us."

April suppressed a grin. She should have known that these were wizards, who else would act so odd in a Muggle-rife area? "Yes, of course. Come in." She backed away, making room for the two men to enter.

The thin man breathed a sigh of relief when she shut the door behind him. "Thank Merlin. This disguise malarkey is hard work, I tell you," he said, speaking in a strong Birmingham accent and giving a toothy grin.

April returned the smile. "Next time you come, if would prefer to apparate, there is a very secluded wood behind the house," she informed them, before adding hastily, "Can I take your coats?"

The thin man passed his over eagerly, revealing long blue robes, but his partner seemed a little more reluctant.

"Oh, go on, Barney, give her your coat. She's one of us," The thin man urged, but his partner just shook his head. "He's a bit shy around strangers," the thin man continued. "Anyway, I'm Frith Trimble and that's my brother, Barnabus."

A pair of more unlikely brothers April didn't think she'd seen, but she nodded and smiled and took their coats to the cupboard. "So, what potions do you wish to buy?" she asked, when she returned to them.

Frith's eyes twinkled over his spectacles. "Ah, right down to business, I see. Good, good." He reached inside his robes and pulled out a roll of parchment and waved it at her. "Here's the list. I hope it's not too much for you to handle." He unrolled it and it hit the floor. "Let's start with a 'Wit-Sharpening Potion'…"

April ran her hand through her hair and made a face. It was going to be a long afternoon… 

~~~888~~~

"Right, here's the 'Hair Raising Potion'." April set a little pink bottle down on the kitchen table where Frith and Barney were sat, one ticking potions off the list and the other packing them away in a box.

"Ok, that's it, I think." Frith ran his finger down the side of the list once more and nodded in satisfaction. "So what's the price?"

April named a price that made both her customers wince.

"Well, it's all in the name of business," Frith said, opening his money pouch and emptying it in her hand, taking back a Knut or two. "That's all of it."

Standing up, he stretched his rather long arms and legs and grinned. "Well, I guess we'll see you when we run out." He held out his hand again. "It was nice doing business with you, April."

~~~888~~~

Remus let himself back into the cool of his house, the surroundings already feeling comfortably like home upon his return. He smiled; his publisher in Diagon Alley had certainly given him good news. He headed towards the kitchen, wondering why he still had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind despite the day's events. 

April. He hadn't seen her since the day he'd witnessed her swept up by another man, and they hadn't exchanged words since the evening he had cooked her shepherd's pie. Would she feel comfortable enough to see him again? What about the Wolfsbane? At least he should be able to afford some for the next couple of months now that he had his first payment. If that ran out he would just have to swallow his pride and ask Sirius for help. He put the Daily Prophet on the table and opened a cupboard in search of a cup. 

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Remus' brow furrowed as he headed to the door to open it; who would be visiting him tod-

April. 

Some questions just answered themselves, Remus mused and, suffering from a momentary lack of verbal inspiration, he stepped back a little to pull the door wide, encouraging her inside. 

"Hello." She smiled and he felt better, in fact he found there was no chance of getting away without grinning back at her, he found her smiles so infectious. His belly stirred with nervous butterflies and he got the distinct impression he was supposed to say something as well. 

"Hi, how are you?" _Hmm, that's original_, criticised a voice in his head. 

"I'm fine." April stepped inside and noticed how much healthier he looked this side of the full moon. She looked away.

Remus was glad on some level that he still found her so attractive, at least the view he'd had of her when suffused with animal lust hadn't been all that rose tinted after all. The butterflies reformed themselves into an uncomfortable knot; he swallowed, trying not to let his gaze drop to her neckline. 

"I brought you this." April exclaimed, holding out a green glass stoppered bottle. "That should do tonight and tomorrow morning, just heat it until it comes to the boil."

Wolfsbane! Remus realised, taking the bottle from her. "Thank you ever so much," he said awkwardly, aware that he was looking at her as though she had just given him gold. "I just got home from Diagon Alley and was going to make tea, you will stay for some?" He was having a good day and wanted to share, he didn't like the idea of having to sit around on his own for the rest of it. 

"Yes. Thank you." She followed him into his kitchen where he deposited the Wolfsbane next to the Daily Prophet on the table. 

Remus couldn't think of anything to say, his mind rejected a couple of possibilities; _It's been a while since I saw you… sorry if I scared you with my uncontrollable wolf urges _and_ So, I saw you with a man, is he your boyfriend?_

He was glad when April didn't leave them in silence. "Can I do anything?" she asked, gesturing toward the grate. "Shall I put the kettle on?" 

"That would be great." Remus watched her unhitch the kettle from over the fireplace and fill it from the tap over the huge china sink whilst he put milk in their cups. 

"Sorry I didn't bring the whole week's supply of Wolfsbane, I've been really busy with a new contract and have the rest of the batch finishing off in the lab at home." 

"That's fine… I'm really grateful that you're doing this." He felt the need to add.

"It's nothing, really," she assured him as she sat herself at the table and started to flick through the newspaper. "So, what were you up to in Diagon Alley?" she asked, pausing to look at an interesting and quite scandalous article about the coach of the Ireland Quidditch team. 

"Just a bit of business." __

_Ah, the original cop out answer, he doesn't want to talk about it._ April deduced. _At least he doesn't want me to know_. "Do you have a quill?" she asked, wanting to move on so as not to let him know curious she was about his 'business'.

"Yes," Remus leant back in his chair and picked up a quill from the side. 

April noticed that he had a small collection of them there along with a stack of fresh parchment and bottles of ink. _Why would he have that in the kitchen?_ "You don't mind if I do the crossword do you?" She suddenly realised how impolite she was being in her effort to appear blasé. "I think it's fun." She inwardly cringed. 

"Go ahead." 

The kettle chose this moment to come quite violently to the boil and Remus stood up to wet the tea bags. A couple of silent moments followed. 

"Eight down is Desinireditus" Remus said, looking over April's shoulder and making her jump. 

"Huh?" She breathed, looking round and up at him.

"Desinireditus. Simple counter jinx to all grade one hex's" He pointed at the clue.

"I knew that." April scoffed, inwardly feeling silly for being all jumpy and distracted. She scratched in a few more answers in quick succession in an attempt to look intelligent. 

"Sure you did." Remus let sarcasm tint his response. 

"Really, I just hadn't got that far yet." _Because you don't sound pathetic now, of course._

A smug smile soon lit her face though as she filled in the word aeroplane for sixteen down (muggle device for air travel).

Remus set down two steaming cups of tea on the table and leant over her shoulder to look at the crossword

April's stomach clenched up in response to Remus' proximity. He was clearly a lot more comfortable with her when the moon wasn't just a day or two away. She wished she could attribute the same ease to her own feelings. 

She was so aware of his height and breath as he leaned over her, in what was obviously just a friendly manner, sending warm prickles down her back and making her neck feel much too warm. April stared at the row of white boxes that represented twelve across for what felt like an eternity before she remembered what she was supposed to be writing in them. 

It was nice to have an excuse to get this close to her. _Old pervert, _scolded a voice in Remus' head and he was once again hit with the horror of not knowing what he'd done with her, or rather to her, the last full moon. He stepped away, feeling uncomfortable again. 

Between them, Remus and April finished the Daily Prophet crossword and as April scratched in the final letter, the boxes all went green and gold writing shimmered over where the grid had been. 'Congratulations, you have completed the puzzle correctly. Send this page along with your name and address for the opportunity to win 200 galleons. Terms and conditions apply, please see below for details.'

April smiled "We got them all right!" she exclaimed cheerfully, not mentioning the prize opportunity.

"How about a Viennese whirl in celebration?" Remus suggested, picking up a tin full he had purchased upon feeling rather flush in Diagon Alley.

"Thank you." April helped herself from the tin and took the biscuit from its flimsy paper cup. She was just disposing of the crumbs from her fingers when she thought of something. "Remus, about the Wolfsbane…" She didn't notice the look he was giving her as she licked her fingers. "I've made the same kind I take, because I was doing it in one batch, if you'd rather stick to the more tried and tested one, I'd probably still have time to whip some up for you." 

"That's fine," he told her, as long as this stopped him killing people, it was worth a try, not to mention the fact that he didn't want to put her out any more than he was already doing.

"I don't know how you'll feel about the level of control you'll have, it'll take some getting used to, you might want to try and sleep through it the first time…" She paused, not knowing how much to say to him without making both of them feel awkward. "I usually roam the forest, keep out of the way of people." Realising how close she had been to asking him to join her, April held herself back, after all what was she offering? She shifted in her seat feeling like the biggest slapper in the northern hemisphere. What must he already think of her, after what she willing let him do to her last time?

"I'll probably stay here, get used to it, like you said." 

"Well," April sighed, "I'd better get back to my lab before I boil something dry!" 

"It was good to see you." Remus stood up so that he could show her out. 

~~~888~~~

A/N:

Thank you to everyone that is sill reading and reviewing, you make everything brighter, and sorry for the massive delay! One day I (Martha) will get myself organised! 

All our Love

Martha and Squirrel.x.x.x


	5. Dog in the Manger

Chapter 5: Dog In The Manger

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8

April sat up with all the care she could muster, her muscles protesting. She opened her eyes and blinked against the white sunlight. She was alone. This realisation was, for a second time, accompanied by a pang of disappointment. He'd told her he wouldn't join her and yet part of her had thought he wouldn't be able to resist, how arrogant!

~~~888~~~

Remus woke up on his bedroom floor staring up at the ceiling; this was certainly more familiar than the last full moon's events. The night's events had been like lucid dreaming. He'd known what was happening and had control over it, and yet he had been the werewolf. He felt a little sick, but not as rough as he had done last month. 

He could still smell April in the air and feel the dull call to go and find her. Possibly the most difficult thing about the different wolfsbane was that. He was going to have to replace some furniture and possibly not spend the next full moon somewhere with so many things to break. 

~~~888~~~

A few weeks later, Sirius arrived for a visit…

Sirius led sprawled out on Remus' sofa. Someone knocked on the door. He couldn't be bothered to get up; Remus would probably hear it anyway. He closed his eyes again and flicked his tail, yawning and letting his tongue stick out really far. Being a dog was quite intriguing. 

The door opened. Sirius opened just one eye the tiniest fraction and there was a moment's hesitation on the part of the opener, before they stepped into his line of vision. Sirius' eyes opened wide; he might have got up to open it if he'd had any idea that such a vision would be behind it. Being in dog form, Sirius was treated to her sweet scent, womanly and tantalising. He felt the hairs all down his belly stand on end. 

She stood just inside the door, clutching a stoppered green glass bottle. "Remus," she called, looking around. She did a double take at the sight of a huge black dog the size of a bear on the sofa. 

Sirius stretched out on the cushions, lazily closing his eyes and showing off his underbelly. Women were always defenceless to all that cute-animal stuff. His tail started to twitch in anticipation; she'd be over offering a delightful tickle in just a minute…

"Remus."

Nothing! Sirius scrabbled off his back and peeped over the back of the sofa; she had come in a bit further and was stood in the doorway leading through to the other rooms in the house. This was cause for drastic action. 

Sirius ambled casually round the sofa and over to this sweet little thing that had been dropped into his Saturday morning. He usually made a point of introducing himself to women in human form, but she had taken him rather unawares. 

He nudged up against her bare leg. _Blimey! She does smell good, not to mention feel good. _He let his nose creep a little higher, his tail sweeping unconsciously upward.

"Hello there," she said, distractedly ruffling his ears, hardly seeming to notice he was there at all. "Remus, are you here?" 

_What a one-track mind! _Sirius thought, more than a little disappointed. Usually women were affectionate or, at the very least, frightened out of their wits. Still, she didn't seem too bothered about him having a good sniff. He edged his nose up past her knee and under her skirt, wondering if it would be too inappropriate to have a peek. What she didn't know couldn't hurt her, surely. 

"April?" 

_Spoil my fun!_ Sirius stepped back to a respectable distance.

"Sorry, I let myself in, the door was open." 

Remus stuck his head through one of the doors. "I was in the garden. Come through." He grinned at her, gesturing her along the passage.

_I know that grin…! _Sirius lifted his tail again and trotted along behind her, through the door into a poky little room that Remus didn't use and that led to the garden. Why hadn't he mentioned this 'April' woman? She was delightful. 

"You hadn't come for the first of your Wolfsbane. I brought it for you." She handed him the bottle and he took it, putting it down on a work surface.

Sirius noted that not only did she know about Remus' 'condition', but also that April made him his Wolfsbane. Remus really had settled in here. Talk about getting your feet under the table! 

"Thanks." He grinned again. 

_Oh, come on, you can do better than that, Moony! _Sirius cringed at the pair of them. 

"Sirius, do the polite thing and introduce yourself." Remus spoke to the dog, stepping out of the back door onto the garden path. 

April's brow furrowed in confusion, turning to look at the dog. She jumped when she found herself looking at the tall muscular figure of a man. He looked older than Remus but his hair was still black with flecks of brown and no grey. His pale eyes twinkled with mischief. April was sure that she knew him from somewhere. 

"I'm Sirius Black and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance… April." He rolled her name over his tongue in his most seductive tone and treating her to his best charming smile. If Remus wasn't going to make a move then what else could he do? 

Knowing his friend only too well, Remus shot Sirius a warning look. 

_So… you do like her then?_

"Ah, I knew you looked familiar. I must have seen you a lot in the Daily Prophet." 

This was going to be more difficult than Sirius had expected; she wasn't going for any of his usual tricks. 

"How do you know Remus?" 

"We went to Hogwarts together." Sirius informed her unenthusiastically. 

April stayed for a cup of tea with the two men and peppered Sirius with questions about their time at school. When she made to leave, Sirius showed her to the door.

"Why haven't you mentioned her?" Sirius said, standing at the window and trying to hide behind the undrawn curtains as he watched her walk back down the road.

"Should I have?" Remus tried his best to sound laid-back. 

"_Should you have? _ What a stupid question." Sirius moved from his vantage point, wandered into the kitchen and put the kettle on. "And there was me wondering if you'd settle in alright." He shook his head and found some cups. 

"I'm used to it by now," Remus said resignedly. 

"Not so used to being befriended by tasty young women though." Sirius smiled playfully. 

"Too young," Remus amended. 

"Too young?" Sirius looked confused. "Oh come on, live a little… Now you look me in the eye and tell me you haven't thought about it." 

Remus drummed his fingers on the kitchen table not meeting Sirius gaze. 

"At least eight… or fifty times a day!" Sirius added for fun, grinning to himself as he turned his back on his friend to fill the teapot. 

Remus stared defiantly at the back of Sirius' head, although he wasn't sure he could have looked him in the eye. 

"So, she's good with a cauldron then?" Sirius put the cups on the table and sat himself down, stretching his legs out. Sleeping as a dog always left him with the desire to do an excessive amount of stretching.

Remus reluctantly sat down as well. "It would appear so." 

Sirius sighed, trying to think up a new avenue of attack, but failing. "Speaking of women who find me prosaic, guess who I saw over Christmas." Sirius said with a certain degree of relish. 

"Enlighten me." Remus wasn't really in the mood to be drawn into a trap by Sirius. 

"Oh, go on, you remember! Got me into all sorts of trouble!" Sirius smiled dreamily for a moment, then his expression went sour and he sipped his tea resolutely, burning his mouth. 

"Not Florence?" Remus remembered and couldn't see any obvious roads that Sirius could go down with this line of thought. 

"The one and only." Sirius sat back still looking resentful. 

"How did you run into her?" Remus was genuinely curious. He knew that Sirius had stayed in contact after school, but he hadn't to such an extent, for some reason. 

"Well, I was writing to Harry, as usual, and he mentions he has a new DADA professor, again, and it's only her." Sirius seemed brighter now. 

"How was she?" 

Sirius' expression went through changes again. "Oh, you know, as susceptible as ever."

"Still didn't fall for your charms then?" 

"Oh… I didn't mean me." Sirius' voice was lined with bitterness. 

"Oh…" Remus gingerly sipped his tea in thought. "You mean…"

"I mean that by the end of the Christmas holiday she had broken my nose and then promptly found me to cry all over." 

Remus gathered that perhaps Sirius hadn't been attempting to lure him into a corner over April but had simply wanted to talk about this for a long time. "Snape?" he asked cautiously, knowing full well how much even the mention of the name riled Sirius.  

"How did you guess?" Sirius stared thoughtfully at the middle distance. "I'd have thought she'd've had more sense." He looked back at the tabletop and unconsciously traced the grain of the wood with his fingers. "I mean, it's been a long time hasn't it?" 

"Since school?" 

"Since we were young… and stupid." Sirius stood up and got the biscuit tin. 

Remus knew then that this was serious. "They're back together?" 

"I don't know, do I?" Sirius chose a shortcake biscuit and bit it viciously, crumbs going left, right and centre. "I don't even think she knew what was going on. They weren't 'together' when I left… but no doubt he managed to weasel his way back in…" 

"How come you didn't mention this before?" It occurred to Remus that it had obviously been playing on his friend's mind. 

"I don't know. Didn't come up, I suppose."

Remus knew how protective Sirius was of his friends, and this was just another example. He felt exceptionally lucky to know someone so caring, but Sirius did occasionally let things get a little out of proportion. "You aren't still smitten with her are you?" Remus asked, finding no use for beating around the bush. 

"God, no!" Sirius announced. "Don't get me wrong, she's still lovely, exceptionally so, but she'll only ever be a teenage fantasy. She isn't, you know…" 

"No, I don't think I do." 

"You know what I'm talking about."

"You aren't getting all funny about settling down are you?" Remus leant over and placed his hand against his friend's forehead. "I don't think you're at all well, you know?" he announced. 

"Get out of it!" Sirius grumbled. "Is it that ludicrous that I might think about it sometimes, that all this seeing woman after woman isn't good for me? I'm 43 years old…"

"This isn't about Florence at all, is it? You would have stewed that one over in your own head. No, this is about getting old, and how far away all that Hogwarts stuff is."

"It's easy for you to say. You didn't miss twelve years in between." Sirius fell quiet and Remus didn't quite know what to say to that; the subject of Azkaban always made Sirius dark and broody, he never wanted to talk about it and Remus wasn't sure if he would have been much help if his friend had done. "Anyway, I'm supposed to be the one counselling you, Mr Procrastinate-Over-Women-Too-Much!" Sirius chipped back in, all virtual joviality. 

"It's not procrastination if you never intend to do anything."

"Ok, Mr Utterly-Hopeless-With-Women."

"I preferred the first one, thank you." 

Sirius chuckled. "I thought you might."

There was a pause while Sirius gathered his thoughts and sedately returned the lid to the biscuit tin. "What exactly are you planning to do?" he asked eventually.

"When?" Remus wasn't sure he understood.

"Now. In five years, in twenty, we're getting older everyday and I get the impression that you're waiting for something. To be turned away from this place as well as everywhere else, maybe to die of old age, I don't know what it is, but if there's something you want why you don't take it is beyond me. Even if she's 20 years your junior, what is that in relative terms and does it matter, _really_? And is it that you're scared of? Or are you just frightened she'll leave like the others." Sirius stood up. "Some risks are worth taking. Is she one of them?" 

Remus remained silent for some time. Things were rarely as simple as Sirius might have them. "You remember how things are often a lot more complex where I'm concerned." 

"You mean your tendency to break the leash once a month."

"Precisely."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but she seems well aware of your condition, and not exactly petrified of you." Sirius winked. 

"Of course she's not frightened of me." He all but scoffed. 

Sirius couldn't hide his surprise at his friend's response. "Because what you become is so fluffy and adorable?"

"Oh, you don't know." Remus forgot. 

"She…She's a werewolf too…?" Sirius grinned, that's probably why she smelt so good to the dog in him.

Remus nodded. 

"Oh, come on, you're perfect for each other, just imagine, taking your wolfsbane and curling up in one big basket together."

This had the effect of making Remus splutter violently. 

"Wow, what did I say? Surely it isn't that appalling a thought?"

"No, no, my tea just went down the wrong way," Remus assured, sounding more certain of the excuse than he felt. 

"You can't tell me that you wouldn't rather have someone to go through it with."

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation, Remus tried to change tack. "There might be someone else." He mumbled. 

"What…? What are you talking about now?" Sirius frowned so much Remus was worried his whole forehead might fold up and disappear, leaving his eyebrows running into his hairline. 

"I mean she might be seeing someone else, I saw her hugging and kissing some guy, in which case, why bother with this conversation?" 

"No one looks at someone like she looked at you if they're seeing someone else. That's the point of this conversation."

"She looked at me?" 

Sirius just laughed softly and got up from the table, patting his friend on the shoulder. 

A/N:

I hope this chapter wasn't too long a wait! 

Just a reminder for those of you that read WkoM and WDTDoN this all takes place in the months preceding the Quidditch world cup, so Heather and Sirius have not yet met up again. I just had this thought the other day that we may not have made the timing clear and this would seem very confusing!

Hopefully this story will be a fairly short one and we can get started on the sequel soon; with all three couples. I have to admit to already be writing it on the sly and have to say that I can't wait to get posting! 

Thank you to everyone that reads and Reviews, we love all comments.

Lots of Love

Martha and Squirrel.xxx 


	6. Yeasty

Chapter 6: Yeasty

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it. 

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"Moony?" Sirius put his fork down beside his empty plate and rubbed his stomach in satisfaction. "There is only one thing that could complete this evening."

"Oh?" Remus turned around from where he was washing the dishes. "What's that?"

Sirius grinned. "A drink down the pub. How about it?"

"It'll have to be tonight. I start taking wolfsbane tomorrow and drinking will make it useless."

"Hmm, I didn't exactly have a tea total evening planned."

"As long as you promise not to get me as stinking drunk as you did last time. The memory still hurts my brain."

"Alright." Sirius crossed his fingers behind his back. "I promise."

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A little while and one broken promise later…

"So, about this April girl you've been… being… you're hung up on…" Sirius slurred as he took another gulp of his glass of Ogdens Old Firewhisky. He coughed a little as it burned the back of his throat. "She's a bit o' alright." Sirius patted Remus on the back rather heavily, causing his friend to cough. "I'm real proud of you. Who'd have thought it? My old buddy getting a hot piece of buttery crumpet like that. I mean, if you weren't so into her, I would have had a crack at her myself," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Remus scowled. "Like she would have given you the time of day…" He sipped at his pint clumsily, causing some to spill down his hand and onto the bar. The bartender rolled his eyes and prepared to rinse out his cloth. "She has better taste than to go for ugly buggers like you."

"I'm affronted!" Sirius clasped his hand to his breast dramatically and almost tipped backwards off of his barstool. Remus grabbed his shoulder and laughed. "The um…" he counted on his fingers, "million girls I have dated would disagree."

Remus snorted. "Million?"

His friend frowned. "Nah, perhaps you're right. It's more like two million. Anyway, they would disagree with you." He took another gulp of his whisky and coughed. "I could owl some of them right now," he gasped.

"You don't have an owl with you."

Sirius checked his jacket pockets carefully, while Remus chuckled, and shrugged. "Seems not. Do you have one I can borrow?"

"Nope."

"Dammit. Then I suppose we'd better get another drink." He flicked his hand clumsily to get the attention of the bartender, almost slapping Remus in the face. "Barkeep! Another couple of drinks over here, please. Make mine a double."

"A double? Sure you're up to it?"

Sirius gaped. "Are you saying I can't handle my drink?" He got off his barstool, wobbling precariously, and beckoned. "Come here and say that."

"Not on your life. I have some common sense," Remus chuckled.

"Yeah, right." Sirius teetered, fell backwards into a chair and hit the wooden floor with a bang. Muttering some very strong expletives that he had probably learnt from Mundungus Fletcher, he rubbed his sore rear.

Remus peered down at him from his high perch. "Are you alright down there?"

"Yeah," Sirius grunted. "I don't suppose you could pass me my drink?"

"You're fine." Remus turned back to his pint and gulped greedily.

Sirius, still rubbing his rear, managed to get to his feet, holding onto a nearby table. "Yeah, Remus, very sympathetic." He clouted his friend around the head, causing him to spill beer into his lap.

Swearing, but a little more elegantly than Sirius, Remus grabbed a nearby bar towel and dabbed ineffectually at his lap. "What did you do that for, you ass?"

"Perhaps it might cool your heated, April-obsessed little friend," Sirius snickered as he slid awkwardly back onto his barstool. Seeing that his new drink had arrived, he swigged at it with gusto.

"I am not… it is not…" Remus sighed. "Ok, you're right."

Sirius laughed raucously and slapped his friend's shoulder. "Nothing like being a man, is there? I feel for you, Moony."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you feel for me enough to pour my own drink into my lap."

Sirius laughed again. "What are friends for?"

"Besides," Remus continued, "how would you know how I feel? It's not like you ever had to wait for a girl…"

"You have to be joking! Don't you remember Estra? She kept me waiting for weeks," Sirius smiled slowly, "but it was worth it in the end. She was a stunner. Speaking of, I wonder if I still have her address." He reached into his bomber jacket pocket, pulled out a little black book and started leafing through it. "I could pay her a little visit…"

Remus rolled his eyes and passed his empty glass from hand to hand. "Do you know how old she is?"

Sirius looked up. "Who, Estra? Gads, she must be all of thirty-five now…"

"No, not Estra. April."

"April?" Sirius screwed his face up. "That's a hard one. I'm not good at ages." He shrugged. "I don't know, Moony. Does it matter?"

Remus frowned. "She's twenty-eight, and I'm not sure whether it matters or not."

"Woah. When you pick 'em, you pick 'em good. Twenty-eight!" Sirius grinned. "You old son of a gun!"

"Padfoot, you're not seeing the point."

"What's the point?" Sirius signalled for Remus to have another drink.

"She's twenty- eight and I'm forty-three!"

"You're not 43!" Sirius announced disbelievingly."

"No I'm not… for another three weeks."

"So?"

"So, she's… uhm…  fourteen years younger than me. I could have taught her at Hogwarts."

"Now that's a dirty thought," Sirius sniggered. "What a detention that would have been!"

"Padfoot! You're not listening," Remus interrupted exasperatedly.

"Oh, I assure you, I'm listening. What's wrong with her being younger than you? People do it all the time. I remember when I-"

"Yes, but I don't."

Sirius sighed. "I know you haven't always approved of my way of thinking, or some of the things I have done, but I really can't see what is wrong with having a relationship with someone that much younger than you." He shrugged. "But that's my opinion. Merlin, we're having a serious conversation; I must be sobering up. Well, we can't have that." He downed his whisky, choked, and signalled for another.

"I don't see how you could sober up so quickly after having five whiskies."

"Practice?" Sirius said lightly. "Anyways, back onto less serious subjects…"

"Yes. How long are you staying?"

Sirius shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I'll stay until I think of somewhere else to go."

"Why don't you go home?" Remus asked casually, sipping at his pint.

"What, back to London?" Sirius shot his friend a look. "Nah. I don't want to go back there yet. Besides, I enjoy the company and the travelling. The things I've seen that I never thought I would again..." Sirius sniffed into his whisky and tugged on the front lock of his hair, deliberately hiding his eyes.

Remus patted him on the back silently.

"Merlin, this evening is really becoming macabre! I thought we were getting drunk to get cheerful not suicidal." He gulped at his drink almost desperately.

"It seems we don't have very much to be cheerful about." Remus smiled ruefully.

"What? Are you kidding? We have plenty! You, especially, having a tasty little redhead after you. Speaking of, how's your lap?"

"Yeasty," Remus sighed, amused, as Sirius snickered.

"Well, we'll get that cleared up when we get home."

"_We_ will? Padfoot, I am not taking a shower with you!"

Sirius laughed loudly. "I wouldn't want you to. But, if I was ever that way inclined…"

"I think you've had just about enough to drink now," Remus grimaced.

"No worries, Moony. The day I want your body is the day I am willing to kiss Snape, which," he shuddered, "is a day I hope will never come." He waved his hand in the air. "Barkeep, another drink please. I have a horrible taste in my mouth."

Remus spluttered with laughter. 

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

By the time the two men had managed to stagger out of the pub, with the help of a rather exasperated bartender, it was well past midnight. The streets were silent, except for the occasional caterwaul of a cat and the rattle of a dustbin lid.

Sirius, trying to tiptoe quietly, ended up flailing and falling into a dustbin, tipping it over in the process. He removed an old, rotting lettuce leaf from his face and glared at Remus, who was splitting his sides with laughter.

"Well, you could give me a hand up."

"What, and let you drag me into the rubbish? I don't think so."

Sirius managed to crawl up onto his knees and frowned. "You know, for the life of me, I cannot remember how to do a cleaning charm."

Remus shrugged. "I would try, but I'd probably end up giving you polka dots."

"Please, don't. On second thoughts, perhaps we'd better forgo apparating and just get the Knight Bus back…" Sirius got to his feet and brushed himself off, teetering and grabbing onto Remus for support.

"That would probably be the sensible option," Remus agreed, nodding sagely, his eyes almost crossing. He wrinkled up his nose, ruining the effect. "Merlin, you stink."

"Talk about yourself, yeast boy," Sirius bit back.

"Yeast boy?" Remus staggered back on unsteady legs as Sirius loomed in front of him and chuckled. "Surely you can do better than that!"

Sirius poked Remus in the chest and called him some very impolite names, which made Remus laugh even more. "How's that?"

"Better, but I can assure you that I have never been that near to a sheep to be able to do that."

"Yeah, yeah." Sirius stuck his wand arm out and jumped quickly out of the way to avoid being run over by the Knight Bus.

'Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard- 'Ere, you're not gonna be sick, are you?" Stan Shunpike stared in horrid fascination at Sirius who looked like he was trying not to gag.

"No, but I will if you don't let us on the bus now."

"No need to be like that," Stan jumped onto the bus and sat in his armchair, taking the fares from Remus and Sirius before directing Ernie to start driving.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Was it really the age gap that fazed him, or was he just scared like Sirius said? Did he think she would leave him like in every other relationship he'd ever had? Or was he just scared silly of being rejected by someone he _really _liked.

Damn these pesky thoughts! 

Did he think she would only ever want him at a full moon? Or was it the rejection thing?

Damn Sirius, he didn't aught to be aloud to provoke deeply introspective thoughts, that sort of thing led to knowing yourself and that would surely make things boring, wouldn't it?

Remus shook his head as he stood in front of the stove, heating his wolfsbane. The smell was really quite sickening and he always hated the thought of drinking it. When it finally came to the boil, Remus took it from the heat and pored it into a goblet. It smoked ominously and Remus held his nose as he drank to take the foul taste away. He took a glass of milk with him to bed so that he would have some other taste in his mouth before he went to sleep. 

Sirius was passed out on the sofa, but his words about having someone to go through this with were playing on Remus' mind; she really was something. 

A/N:

Hi, sorry for the massive delays. I know I say this every time, but life just always seem to get between me and my fan fiction. 

I hope it won't take me so long to get the next instalment done. 

Hope everyone is well, 

All our love, 

Martha and Squirrel.x.x.x


	7. Karma

Chapter 7: Karma 

Disclaimer: We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it.

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April had been twenty-one and working in the Diagon Alley Central Library when she had been bitten and became a werewolf.

Fairly good grades from Hogwarts meant she definitely wasn't going to starve when she left school. Flicking through the Daily Prophet, she had applied for the first job that seemed doable: General Library assistant. Almost three years later after showing some aptitude she had applied for the post of Dangerous and Potentially Lethal Book Monitor. This meant she had her own office and library department all to herself. At the green age of 21, she was the youngest person working there and felt decidedly out of place.

She'd only been working there a year and a half or so, still a lowly shelf replenisher reeling in the wonder of a weekly pay cheque and renting her own small one bedroom place, when she had spotted the first young person in quite some time. Or rather he had spotted her.

"Excuse me, Miss."

April tuned away from the Sensual Charming for Beginners section to see a young man, perhaps a few years older than herself, not attractive by anyone's measure, but not ugly. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for this." He handed her a scrap of parchment.

His name had been James. April had helped him find his book and then agreed to meet him after she finished work for a drink. She didn't know where it would lead her a couple of years down the line.

And now… Maybe it was Karma. Perhaps the harsh rejection of James, who had liked her so much, whom she supposed she had led on, left her destined not to be wanted by the one person she truly felt for. April mused to herself while drinking the first cup of tea of the day. She wanted to go to Remus and tell him just how she felt, that it didn't matter if the moon was full or not, she liked him very much and not just as a friend. But if, as she suspected, he felt nothing like that in return, she didn't want to be like James; pestering him for more than he wanted to be to her. She didn't want to turn into James.

At least she would get to see him again today when she took him the rest of the wolfsbane. And maybe Sirius would tell her more stories…

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Remus' back garden was very small, just a patch of grass with a big tree in the middle. "Sirius… Why are you sat in the tree?"

"Have you ever sat in the tree?" Sirius asked.

"I hate it when you answer a question with a question."

"Well, have you?"

"Once or twice." Remus admitted.

"And why were you in the tree… once or twice?"

Remus looked at the ground and toed a small stone with his shoe.

"Why were you in the tree, Moony?"

"Because you can see April's house from there."

"There you go then, answered your own question." Sirius turned back in the direction he had been watching. "Moony… can I ask you something?"

"Is it to do with April?"

"Yes."

"Then no." Remus turned to go back inside.

"Hey, wait, this is serious."

"Ok, go on, I'm listening."

"If you like April, and you're both werewolves, then does that mean wolfy-Remus likes wolfy-April?"

Remus blinked into the middle distance. "I don't want to talk about it." He uncomfortably shifted his shoulders.

"That would mean yes then. You know it's ok. There was this stray bitch that raided my dustbin every Tuesday, used to get the dog in me dreadful itchy, I can tell you."

Remus stared at the other man, appalled.

"Of course, I was relieved when the baker's wife round the corner turned out to be an Animagi. She didn't want to play though, far too committed to her husband. I got over it, she wasn't that attractive a woman."

Remus turned round and walked back inside, calling after him "I'm going forget we ever had this little conversation." It was only a couple of seconds before he put his head back round the door frame to ask "If I like this woman and you are my best friend, should you be spying on her?"

"I'm not spying like that. This way I can let you know if she does anything interesting."

Remus shook his head and went back in.

"She just left the house, so I'm guessing the rest of your wolfsbane is on the way." Sirius called after him.

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Sirius yawned and stretched arms over his head, they had spent a pleasant hour or two with April that afternoon and Remus had neatly avoided analysing it all afternoon, much to Sirius' annoyance. "Do you want me to stay until after the full moon?" he asked.

"Well, don't put yourself out if there's somewhere you'd rather be." They hadn't discussed how long Sirius would be staying.

"No, I've nowhere to be really, not until the World Cup starts. I suppose I was really asking if you minded me staying."

"Do you really have to ask? You never used to. My home is your home and all that. Besides I can always use the company."

"It seems to me you could have company any time you wanted."

"So… the World Cup huh? Think we've got a chance this time?"

"Distracting me with Quidditch talk, very sly."

Despite Sirius best efforts, Remus managed to draw him into a Quidditch debate that became a Quidditch argument and the two men stayed up long into the small hours reminiscing. Remus mixed him night time dose of Wolfsbane and took himself to bed around two thirty while Sirius settled himself on the sofa. Only a couple of days till the moon. He was glad Sirius would be here actually; he didn't trust himself to stay confined in the house on his own. At least Sirius would be able to control him if he tried to leave.

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April hit the damp mossy ground, putting her hands out to break the fall, twigs and bark digging and cutting into her knees. A heavy presence settled over her, she lay flat on the ground, enjoying the warm naked flesh pressed against her back. She cried, rolling her hips as a hot mouth closed on her neck. His arms pinned hers to the cool earth. She bucked her hips again in encouragement, not wanting him to stop. In a moment of pain, fierce and throbbing, it was happening and was over at once. He was gone and she was back in the reality of her bedroom, startled awake and heart pounding, her body hot and expectant.

April blinked stupidly into the darkness, her body slow to realise she'd just been dreaming. The soft mattress and comfy bedding felt disturbingly juxtaposed to the forest floor. Her body throbbed at the thought of Remus' hot body on top of hers. That wasn't just a dream, that had happened, but she hadn't been human last time. The dreams were definitely getting more detailed and particular. Rolling onto her back she tried to forget the pleasure of his presence, disturbed by how much she had enjoyed something so far removed from healthy human sex, even if it had only been cooked up in her mind.

She felt strangely alone now, and cold, the heat starting to drain away, but her body persisted in throwing up the mental sensation of him, obviously not content for the warmth to evaporate completely and leave her able to return to sleep.

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Sirius woke up to the sound of someone being violently ill. Not an uncommon experience in Azkaban. He shivered and started himself to full wakefulness, sitting bolt upright, he blinked into the dark and tried to remember where he was.

He quickly deduced that it must be Remus chucking his guts up. He stood up, frowning and murmuring a few word to light up his way to the bathroom.

"Are you alright?" He asked blearily, looking round the door "I didn't think that meal was one of your best but I didn't want to say anything myself." He tried to distract from a clearly unpleasant situation. Remus was bent over the toilet, still retching, mooning at the doorway. Sirius went to fetch a robe, bringing it in and draping it around his friend's shoulders, encouraging Remus to stand up.

Remus looked grey and not at all happy, he was trembling a little, making Sirius uneasy, what was the matter?

"Sit down," Sirius commanded, guiding the other man to the edge of the bath; still within safe distance of the toilet should the need for it arise again. "Stay there, I'll get you a glass of water."

He filled a glass in the kitchen, wondering what the time was and what had brought on Remus' sudden need to empty his stomach.

Sirius found Remus leaning still sat quietly on the edge of the bath, looking ashen and fragile. "Here." He offered Remus the glass and he clutched it awkwardly.

"Thanks." Remus was hoarse.

"What's the matter? I know I said about the meal, but that would have got to me too surely."

"Oh Gods, Sirius. I don't know what I've done." He gave the once sipped glass of water back and held onto the rim of the bath with both hands.

Sirius put the water on the floor, turning to Remus and trying to encourage him to tie the robe together; it was possible to be too comfortable with a person.

"Sorry," Remus mumbled, as he physically tried to pull himself into order.

"You going to tell me why that little eviction was necessary?"

"You remember how my dreams are apt to get a little intense around full moon." Remus took in and held a deep breath.

"I remember you trying to scream Gryffindor tower to the ground."

"Well, it's always very vague and I never really remember anything when I wake up. Since moving here though… they're getting more vivid and specific all the time."

Remus looked like a corpse. Sirius hadn't seen him this bad since he was a teenager and had to endure the transformation unsuppressed. He sure used to get nervous then. "Do you think it's being near another werewolf? That's all that's different about here, isn't it?"

"I think so…Oh Merlin, I'm in trouble."

"They're just dreams, mate. Don't let it get to you." Sirius knew from experience that was easier said than done.

"I'm not sure they are. I think they're real. Sirius, a couple of months after being here I got a duff batch of wolfsbane."

"Merlin, what happened?"

"I don't know. I met April the day after, she said she'd stopped me from hurting anyone."

"Well, that's got to be a good thing,"

"That doesn't mean I didn't hurt her."

"You know any wounds would show on the person as well, if she had been hurt that bad you'd have realised, especially if you saw her the next day." Sirius adjusted his sitting position; the china bath was cold on the backs of his legs.

"I think I raped her, Sirius."

The words hung heavy in the air for a moment. "Gods." Sirius murmured. "You can't have." Sirius didn't believe what he was hearing. "She's awful nice and that's just not the sort of thing people are nice about, as a rule."

"She said something about not denying what she is, what if she just let me…I can't think about it." Remus put his hand over his mouth and shut his eyes.

Sirius waited for his friend to calm down again.

"I suppose I'd thought of it on some level. Put two and to together. But dreaming about it… It was so real, Sirius. What I, I mean the wolf, did to her. And it excited me, that's sick isn't it?"

Sirius didn't know how to respond, he had no experience to draw on to help with this. "The wolf is inside you, all the time. You've told me before that you can feel it the days before and after. That'd probably explain your reaction. You, human you, is obviously pretty disgusted." Sirius made a gesture to indicate the situation they found themselves in as proof. "You need to talk to her, find out what happened, it's the only way you'll ever know for sure."

"I can't ask her to tell me!" Remus sounded horrified.

"Perhaps I should speak to her then." Sirius suggested.

"The whole thing just seems so unseemly." Remus hung his head. "I'm really fond of her. I haven't felt so at home in a long time and she's a big part of that but…"

"The full moon makes you hornier than ever?"

"Yes, eloquently put as usual."

"If you were out of control and did something to her, it was hardly your fault."

"I still hurt someone I care about."

"You think you did. Be sure that there's something to beet yourself up about before you get in a state."

"Say I didn't, I'm still disturbed over the fact that I'm sort of turned on by it. Merlin! I feel filthy."

"Let's have a cup of tea, you're not going to be able to sleep are you? Not in this state." Sirius stood up and ushered Remus out of the bathroom door ahead of him. Remus had been there for him when he really needed him, after being on the run when he'd escaped Azkaban; Remus had been a rock he wouldn't have survived without. And now Remus needed a little support.

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A/N: I know I'm abysmally slow at writing fan fiction, apologies and huge THANKS to those who are still bothering to stick with this story. I'm still enjoying writing it very much. I love putting these two through their angst filled paces.

The age gap doesn't really have any factor in why they don't get together, it's just Remus thinking up any excuse not to risk being rejected again. He'll realise that it's not a big deal eventually!

I have noticed that my Lupin seems to lack that element of cool he had POA. I think he still has it, we just only saw him at good times of the month in POA whereas he's more interesting to me when he's suffering I'm afraid. I shall endeavour to include a little more of that mischievous cool in future chapters!

All our Love,

Martha and Squirrel.x.x.x


	8. Pardon Mr Lupin, There's a Nogtail In My...

**Chapter 8: Pardon Mr Lupin, there's a Nogtail in my garden.**

**Disclaimer:** We don't own the characters, places or anything recognisable from the Harry Potter Books 'cause they belong to J. K. Rowling. We write only for our own pleasure and make nothing from it.

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Sirius had seen Remus in change many times. He knew what to expect and knew he could control him if need be. Remus would be dosed up with Wolfsbane this time but that didn't seem to make him any the less agitated and anxious.

He paced and paced and then paced some more.

"If you don't stop, you'll make me so dizzy I'll throw up!" Sirius was starting to get fractious as well. The mood seemed to be in the air.

"Sorry." Remus sat heavily on the sofa, staring at his feet and wringing his hands, deeply preoccupied.

Sirius couldn't concentrate on what he was reading in The Quibbler, not that that made it any the less clear. He put the magazine down. "Cup of tea?" He stood up and went in the kitchen.

"Good idea." Remus followed him. It was Eight o'clock, still quite a while before the sun would set. He could feel it though, his body changing, his mind. He could smell Sirius' concern and aggravation. He sat down at the table sighing deeply.

"How you holding up?"

"Merlin, I'm a right sorry case aren't I?" Remus rubbed fretfully at his leg.

Sirius watched his friend sat at the table so full of nervous energy. Remus picked at loose threads on his clothes and bit his fingernails. When the cup of tea was placed in front of him he seemed relieved to have something to concentrate on, no matter how small.

"Still got last night on your mind?"

"I don't think anything else will ever be on my mind." Remus took a tentative sip of his hot tea. "Thanks for staying, I know you've got to head to Australia pretty soon."

"I'll probably go sometime tomorrow, to be honest l wish I had a few more days here with you."

"You'll get there and be having so much fun with Harry that I'll be forgotten within the hour."

"Yeah, probably." Sirius kidded. "Are you sure you don't want me to see if I can wangle you some tickets, you could join us once your feeling all recovered?"

"No, I'd better not, you know I could never pay you back."

"And that would never matter."

"Well, it does to me. I'd rather I only spent your money when I really needed to."

"Fair enough, owl me if you change your mind though."

Remus gave a weak smile.

Sirius knew Remus would never accept the offer, he found it hard enough to ask for help when he really needed it. He still felt he should offer though, he would have liked having Remus with him at the world cup.

"So, let me get this straight, this new wolfsbane leaves you in control of the wolf but you're not so out of it as with the old stuff?" Sirius wanted to know what was going to happen.

"That's the idea, and it does work but I don't even think I've much control when I'm a man anymore so I don't really trust myself fully." He took big swigs of his tea. "Will you make sure I don't leave the house tonight?"

"Of course." Sirius promised. He knew Remus needed that kind of security.

"Thanks." Remus stared out the window, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. "I think I'm going to go and clear some of the breakables from my room." Remus stood and left the kitchen leaving Sirius' concerned countenance behind to finish his tea.

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Sirius went into Remus' bedroom, finding him crashed out on the floor. He wasn't surprised, Remus had certainly not given him much chance to sleep last night; the chair in the corner seemed to have taken the brunt of his friend's frustrations. He unhitched a dressing gown from the back of the door and flung it at Remus.

"I've made breakfast," Sirius said as the other man stirred blearily on the floor and rolled over with a grown. "You need some food, come on, you can go to bed as soon as you've eaten."

Remus yawned and fumbled with the dressing gown chord. "Thanks."

He was looking pretty shagged out. Sirius went over to him, propping him up and helping him into the kitchen.

"I'm going to go in a bit, want to pick up some bits before heading to Australia," Sirius told Remus as they were just finishing their last mouthfuls of scrambled egg.

"Ok, sorry I'm not going to be in much of a state for a farewell."

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Sirius stood up from the table, he was already packed and ready to leave.

"Yeah, I just need to get some more rest and I'll be fine."  
"I didn't just mean physically."

"Yeah, well. I'll just have to sort something out."

"Promise me you'll talk to April, maybe this weird wolfsbane doesn't agree with you as well as it does with her. Either way, you shouldn't suffer being out of control."

"I know, I'll see her as soon as I'm not so jittery."

"Good." Sirius briefly embraced his friend. "Do me a favour, Moony. Tell her how much you like her – when it's not full moon. All this pussyfooting around isn't good for anyone," Sirius advised. "Too much more and you'll both go blind." He added with a wink.

Remus cleared his throat, hoping he wasn't going red at Sirius' obvious double entendre. He doubted his body was in any state to respond so efficiently to his embarrassment. Sirius started clearing away from their breakfast.

"Do you want me to do anything for you before I go?" Sirius put a fresh cup of tea in front of Remus. "I know you'll be pretty rough for a few days, to be honest I don't know how you usually cope."

Remus rubbed his temples. "If you could just make sure everything's locked up and stuff,"

"Of course." Sirius concern was clear on his face.

"Don't worry about me." Remus assured. "I'm always fine."

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Remus yawned into his fist and went into the bathroom to do his ablutions. He was feeling much better this morning; the wolf seemed to have receded, leaving him feeling much more at ease with himself. He should go and see April really.

He got out of the shower, feeling that the smell of sweaty old dog was really gone for the first time in over a week. He made wet footprints across the hall into his bedroom to find some clothes to put on.

He was just buttoning his shirt when he heard his fire crackle. "Remus, are you there?" The high voice emerging from his fireplace belonged to April. Think of the devil!

"I'm here," Remus called, shrugging his robe on and heading for the fireplace.

Her face was peering out of his grate. "There's a Nogtail in my pig sty and I don't know what to do."

Now this was something he could cope with. Remus knelt down to speak to her. "How long has it been there?"

"I'm not sure, it can only be a couple of days at the very most."

"That's not too bad then, don't worry, I'll come over."

"Thanks." She gave a small smile. Remus liked seeing her; it made a nice way to start the day. _Let's not think about how nice it would be if she were your girlfriend just now! _Advised his inner voice of reason.

He looked around for his shoes hoping Sirius hadn't got really in the spirit of being a dog, chewed them and hidden them in the back of the sofa. Luckily he hadn't, they were where Remus had kicked them off by the back door. _I really should get some new ones._ He thought, noticing that the sole was dangerously close to starting to flap.

He left through the front door and headed up the road with purpose. It was surprising how much easier the invitation had made going to see her. He mustn't let himself wriggle out of discussing uncomfortable issues. He needed some questions answered.

Remus wasn't sure where he would find April. He walked around the path and into the back garden. He saw her descending the steps from her house. She smiled and picked up her pace, almost breaking into a little run when she got to the bottom.

"Hello." She smiled and fell into step beside him. "I didn't know who else I could ask for help. I thought you would be good with this sort of thing." She looked up at him hopefully.

Remus felt warmed by her welcome and apparent lack of animosity. "I'm not promising anything. If I can't scare it away then it may be a matter for more professionals. The longer it's been here unnoticed the harder it will be to get rid of."

He may have been all business but at least he was there. April felt more secure the moment she saw him. She had to hurry to keep up with his long strides; he must be feeling as refreshed this morning as she was. "Thank you for trying." April was acutely aware that she was beaming stupidly and looked at her feet.

"Show me where it is." Remus leaned over the wall of the sty and peered inside.

"It's that one." April pointed at one of the littler pigs near the back in pigs' the little hut.

"The one on the left?" Remus asked.

"Yes."

Remus squinted. "Almost indistinguishable, they're so sneaky." He sounded a little far away like his mind was too busy forming a plan to still be fully in on what he was saying.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" April offered, not sure if she had the right shoes on.

"If you could encourage the other pigs out and just leave me in there with the Nogtail?"

After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing April stood outside the pig hut keeping her pigs together with the help of a large piece of board, leaving Remus in the hut with the Nogtail. There was a loud crash and a burst of light, the roof lifted off the little shed and it shook like it was a bout to take off. April stared in shock, dropping her piece of wood in the quagmire. She bent down to pick it up just as the roof crashed back down and made her jump. When she looked up a small cloud of dust was rising and everything looked still. The other pigs looked agitated and one of them squealed loudly.

"It's ok," she told them, nodding encouragingly, quite sure that they didn't have a clue what she was talking about. There was no sign of the Nogtail running away in fear that, apparently, was the aim of the exercise.

"This is turning out to be more of a task than I thought." Remus admitted with more than a little reluctance as he squelched out of the hut, one side of his hair stood on end. "You might have to get the Ministry involved. They have a pack of Albino dogs especially for things like this." He looked down at the mud splattered half way up his legs.

"I was afraid you were going to say something like that." April ran her hands through her hair; it made Remus want to touch it too, it looked so soft…

He looked back over at the pig hut as a thoughtful gesture to try and prevent him staring. "I think owling is the proper procedure, they should have it all sorted by the end of the day."

"Well, I suppose we'd better go in where I've got parchment and stuff… Will you help me secure the other pigs in this bit?" she asked, indicating where she had them all gathered.

Remus, noticing she had looked away, tried to smooth his hair down but to no avail. "Of course."

Remus and April spent the next twenty minutes experimenting with various barriers and roping charms to enclose the pigs. It turned out that the pigs didn't like invisible barriers and April was worried they might hurt themselves.

April started back towards the house and Remus followed. "Better clean up before we go in," she giggled, as she looked him up and down, then herself. They were in a dreadful mess.

"If you do me, I'll do you." Remus pulled his wand out of his sleeve and looked up to see April grinning at him.

"Be careful, making suggestions like that to a lady." She sounded playful but it still made his stomach turn with the audaciousness of his comment.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

"What for?" she giggled and quickly did a cleaning charm, bringing his robes back to their former lack of glory. "Much better," she announced. "My turn."

Remus returned the favour, trying not to stare at her too wantonly in case he cleaned her clothes off as well.

"Thank you." April started up the steps and asked, "What should I say when I owl the ministry?"

"Just tell them who you are, where you are and what the problem is. Dropping in that you would be willing to donate them lots of gold never does any harm either."

"Politics!" April said in disgust, opening the back door and ushering him inside.

She found parchment and quills, quickly dictating her letter. The quill wrote in a flourishing scrawl with large capitals. Remus couldn't understand why he found this fascinating. She called her owl and he appeared from somewhere upstairs.

"I should probably not be around when they get here,"

"Why not? I could use the moral support," April said and stopped tethering the letter to her owl to touch his arm.

"Having a Nogtail and a werewolf in your back garden might be news, and not the sort that's good for business." Remus looked at her little hand on his arm. She didn't seem bothered by him; she had asked him to her house and was now voluntarily touching him!

"At least stay until they get here, won't you? I'll put the kettle on and make some sandwiches for lunch."

"Ok." Remus watched her finish with the owl and send it on its way. He had no excuse not to talk to her about what was bothering him so much. "April, something's been bothering me." He decided to plough straight into it; why get all cosy over lunch and then spoil it?

"Sit down, we'll talk." April indicated the kitchen table, complete with homely check tablecloth and bowl of unnaturally perfectly fresh fruit.

"Actually that's an understatement, more like chilling me to my very core." He sat down, not meeting her gaze, or knowing what to say next.

"What is it?"

Her genuinely concerned expression did nothing to make this easier. "Do you have dreams around the full moon?"

He looked so mortified, disgusted even. April got cups out of the cupboard, not sure whether she felt hurt or appalled with herself. Dreaming about her disturbed him, and she was enjoying it. "Yes."

"I've never really remembered anything before, but since living here, they've been getting much clearer, I'm remembering things."

April was quiet.

"That first full moon, did I hurt you?" He felt sick, he couldn't believe he was saying this; it seemed so insensitive. He was sure he'd never been more confused in his life. She was so nice to him, she seemed so comfortable but he was sure he was remembering doing worse to her than he had ever imagined before.

"Remus, you did nothing I didn't let you do." She stopped what she was doing and pulled out a chair to sit next to him realising the weight of what he was worried about.

"Merlin," he murmured so silently April only just caught it. "I should really leave, the ministry people will be here in a bit. I'm so sorry."

"Remus, don't go. Stay. I hate the thought that you're uncomfortable with me." April reached out and took his arm as he went to get up.

He opened his mouth to say something but words seemed to fail him.

"Please don't go. You've done nothing wrong in my eyes. This is all my fault, I should have considered your feelings more, I'm so sorry." It occurred to April that grabbing hold of him might be a bit of an invasion and reluctantly moved her hand from his warm sleeve. "Can we forget it for now? I've been happier recently than I have in years and you're a really big part of that. No… I think you're the reason. It can be very lonely here."

"I think it would be easier to forget my name." Remus said helplessly. He looked at her, not knowing how to respond to her kind words. "I'll try."

April gave a small, reassuring smile. "I'm going to make some sandwiches and we're going to drink tea," she declared and stood up

The sandwiches were, of course, delicious. Remus wondered briefly if he would find her so amazing if he didn't like her so much. But then would he like her so much if she wasn't so amazing? It was something of a paradox. He looked at his plate wondering if it would be rude to start picking up the breadcrumbs with his fingers. He hadn't liked to ask if it was possible he might have met the ham he'd just eaten when it was alive…

April was thoughtfully and slowly spinning her teacup. She thought of the full moon when she had first met him. A feeling of freedom and exhilaration she had never felt as a wolf before. She had wanted only to be natural with him. He wouldn't seek out humans when he had the call of his own kind. But how to tell him that, she could barely explain it to herself.

Remus cleared his throat. "Those were excellent sandwiches," he announced and scraped his chair back, picking up their plates and tidying them onto the side.

"You don't have to do that," April said quickly.

"Least I can do, and I'm only moving them."

He grinned at her and she was pleased, he seemed a bit calmer after some lunch. "Where do you think the ministry wizards are?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know; I would have expected them by now. Perhaps you should floo general enquiries, see what they say," Remus suggested as he sat back down and drained the tepid dregs of his second cup of tea.

"I'll have to. I don't want the other pigs all cooped up too long." She stood up and left the kitchen, smoothing her dress over her bottom as she walked out the door. Remus blinked after her.

He heard her muffled voice as she spoke into the fireplace in the adjacent room.

It was several minutes before Remus realised that he was sat there unsuccessfully straining to hear what her soft tones were saying. He got up and started to put their dishes in the sink, setting the washing up in motion with his wand.

Something smashed. Remus head darted round automatically; too many nights on watch for the order. He winced at the bolt of pain that shot up his neck and behind his ear, his hand coming up to massage a complaining muscle, he was lucky not to have smashed something himself. "Everything alright?" he called

"More or less," came her reply. April sounded sad.

Remus stepped away from the sink and stowed his wand away inside it's sleeve pocket. He walked out of the kitchen, passed the door down to her potions lab and into the living room. April was knelt on the floor near the fireplace; something was staining the carpet in front of her. "What's happened?"

"I'm so clumsy sometimes, it's a wonder I can make a potion without knocking a cup of tea into it." She picked at a couple of shards of glass out of the wet ring on the floor.

"What was it?" Remus squat down beside her; he wanted her to stop gathering up the glass in case she cut herself but didn't feel he had the right to tell her not to.

"It was a present from my Uncle Sean when I was ten." I knocked it off the mantelpiece when I stood up." She sighed and dried the carpet with a deft flick of her wand.

"Was it some kind of snow globe?" Remus asked eyeing little figures stranded in the thick pile of the carpet and what might have been more recognisable as a small cottage had it not been upside down.

"It wasn't just a snow globe, it mimicked the weather everyday." She said quietly, rescuing all the little people who grumbled and sat huffily in her palm as they hugged their arms round themselves and shivered miserably. "I used to be fascinated by the weather when I was little; I'd lean out the window and get wet when it rained." She smiled weakly and stood up after rescuing the cottage and checking that she had brought everyone to safety.

Her eyes were glistening with tears. This must mean a great deal more to her than she was letting on. Remus stood up next to her and was made aware just how dainty she was by her closeness, how fragile by her look of sadness.

"I can remember him telling me once that I'd be so powerful when I grew up that I could have any weather I liked every day." She made a little derisive snort. "I can't even get the new nail growing potion recipes to work properly," she muttered

"You're powerful," Remus blurted in assurance.

"Says you, with your mystery and dark arts defence skills." April looked up at him quizzically, having to tilt her head to look into his face.

"Mystery?" Remus frowned.

"You're obviously more skilled than you let on if you've worked at Hogwarts. How did you get dark arts skills? I don't know anything about you really, you haven't been an auror?" it was a question although Remus got the very familiar feeling that she already knew the answer.

"No I haven't." He wondered at this sudden bout of inquisitiveness and stepped back from her, feeling he was probably being invasive by standing so close. He cleared his throat to hide his nerves.

April tried not to let the disappointment and sense of loss show on her face when he moved only a fraction. Had she gone too far? Did he not want her to know anything? "I'm sorry. I don't mean to snoop."

Remus was confused as to what was going on. "It's ok. Ask me something, anything." He said this before wondering at its prudence. What if she asked him something he didn't want to answer?

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

There was an odd pause.

"I hate to sound like I'm prying," April hesitated, she hated asking personal questions in case they were beyond the bounds of this friendship and she had stepped outside the imaginary boundary line without realising it. Still, she'd started now, she couldn't very well not ask.

"Go on," he prompted, throwing caution to the wind.

"How do you make enough money to live?" She watched him closely, wondering if she'd offended him. "Please don't answer if you don't want to, in fact, don't tell me, I shouldn't have asked." She panicked a little - what if he was reliant on his friends or something, a situation she knew he would be loathed to admit, especially to someone he had known for as little time as he had her.

"It's ok. I'm not very open about it simply because the fewer people who know, the fewer can find out. I don't mind you knowing." He smiled warmly in reassurance.

"Oh, ok, although I feel horribly nosy for having the gall to ask."

"And so you should." Remus kidded, smiling for the first time since they'd come in from the garden. "I'm an author. I write novels."

April blinked, so that was why he had bits of parchment and quills all over his house, and he must go to Diagon Alley to visit a publisher or something. "What sort of novels?" she wondered. What an insight into a man, she wanted to read them, and right now!

"You have one of them on your book shelf." He smirked. "Quite well thumbed I might add."

"No, I'd have remembered, recognised your name. Do you use a pen name?"

Remus was strangely warmed by her eagerness. "I write anonymously."

"'Hairy Snout, Human Heart'," she whispered.

"I really don't have any secrets now." Remus smiled.

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April went to bed with 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart' that night as though reading it for the first time. The well-thumbed pages were turned with new interest. She lingered over particularly painful passages, wondering just how much of himself Remus had put into it. He'd said that a lot of the story wasn't his, but the feeling behind it was, and there wasn't a syllable that didn't endear him to her further. A sensible part of her mind tried to suggest that it might not be wise of her to attach herself to this book character, pasting his personality onto the man she spent most of her time drooling over.

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**A/N:**

For info on Nogtails etc. see 'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them' (also by JK Rowling).

Once again apologies for delay in updating. I won't make any promises about chapter 9 because I'll probably break them. Thank you to all those who have stuck with this story despite it's slow progress, you amaze and delight me. Special thanks to those who review; you make my day.

Love and Hugs,

Martha. xxx.


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